Jim Mullen/ Helmut Nieberle Sextet: Nice work if you can get it - live at Jazzclub Leerer Beutel Regensburg/ Gemany 2009

Jim Mullen, Guitar (Left channel)
Helmut Nieberle, 7-string Guitar (Right channel)
Christoph Hörmann, Tenor Saxophone
Dana Darau, Vocals
Wolfgang Kriener, Bass
Michael Scotty Gottwald, Drums

live at Jazzclub Leerer Beutel Regensburg/ Gemany 2009

1. "Driving with the knee" (Bob Rückerl)
2. "Blues in a minute" (Bob Rückerl)
3. "Bewitched, bothered and bewildered" (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart)
4. "I’m gonna lock my heart" (Jimmy Eaton/Terry Shand)
5. "Struttin’ with Jim" (Helmut Nieberle)
6. "Isfahan" (Billy Strayhorn/Duke Ellington)
7. "What a little moonlight can do" (Harry Woods)
8. "Don’t let me be lonely tonight" (James Taylor)

Interview with Jim Mullen about…
… his Bavarian buddies
… Bavaria & Scotland
… his guitar technique
… his sound

Jim Mullen is a truly original voice in contemporary jazz guitar. Originally from Glasgow he moved to London in 1969, going on to work in the groups of Pete Brown, Brian Auger, Vinegar Joe and Kokomo. In 1975 he met sax player Dick Morrissey, and they began a 15 year association working as the legendary funk band Morrisey Mullen. As sideman he is in demand by visiting U.S. stars like Gene Harris, Mose Allison, Jimmy Smith, Weldon Irvine, Percy Sledge, Teddy Edwards, Plas Johnson, Jimmy Witherspoon and Terry Collier. He is twice winner of 'Best Guitar' in the British Telecom jazz awards and 'Best Guitar' in the British Jazz Awards for 2000.
For 15 years he has been touring every year „with his bavarian buddies“. Driving force in this band was the late saxophonist Bob Rückerl, who passed away February 1, 2009 at the age of 52. So the 2009 tour was the "tribute to Bob Tour".

Curtis Fuller Brasstet live at Jazzfest Berlin 2009

Photo © by Detlev Schilke

Curtis Fuller · trombone
Don Sickler · trumpet
Jim Rotondi · trumpet
Sharp Radway · piano
Corcoran Holt · bass
McClenty Hunter · drums

recorded live at Georg-Neumann-Saal, Jazz Institute Berlin, November 7, 2009

1. The Clan (Curtis Fuller)

2. Minor's Holiday (Kenny Dorham)
3. The Court (Curtis Fuller)

The most recorded jazz trombonist of his lifetime, Curtis Fuller's illustrious career spans six decades and includes tenures with many of the greatest names in this music. Born Dec. 15th, 1934 in Detroit, Fuller was orphaned at an early age, but found family in the close-knit jazz community of the musically fertile Motor City. He first picked up the trombone in the school band at Cass Tech High School, where his fellow students included Donald Byrd and Paul Chambers and the list of graduates reads like a Who's Who of jazz.
He plays the slide trombone with astonishing virtuosity, boasting a huge, rounded tone and a punchy, lightning-quick attack that recalls the legendary J.J.Johnson. Fuller's prodigious technique led many jazz greats, such as John Coltrane, to enlist him as a sideman (he appeared on Trane's classic 1957 album Blue Train and many other Blue Note recordings) and got signed by Alfred Lion.
One of his recent recordings called "keep it simple" was released 2005 on Savant.

Tim Hagans & Norrbotten Big Band feat. Peter Eskine live at Northern German Radio 2009

Photo: Erik & Gunnar Westergren

Tim Hagans, trumpet, leader
Peter Erskine, drums
Norrbotten Big Band

recorded live at Rolf- Liebermann-Studio, Dezember 17&18, 2010

1. Buckeyes (Tim Hagans)
2. Boo (Tim Hagans)
3. Palt Seanuts (Tim Hagans)
4. Box of Cannoli (Tim Hagans)
5. Reason to Believe (Peter Erskine)

Norrbotten Big Band [NBB], from Luleå situated in the very north part of Sweden, is a modern big band with excessive visions and qualities. Artistic director, American trumpet player and arranger, Tim Hagans has ambitiously developed the established Swedish big band tradition to an international high level. The bands unique expression has left many permanent tracks in the world of jazz, on records, in radio telecasts and reviews in leading jazz magazines worldwide. Their latest recording featuring the music of Tim Hagans written especially for Norrbotten Big Band and special guests Randy Brecker, Peter Erskine, George Garzone, Dave Liebman and Rufus Reid called "The Avatar Sessions" was released in 2009 on Fuzzy Music.

Eliane Elias & Band live in Murnau 2009

Eliane Elias - piano,vocals
Marc Johnson - bass
Rubens de la Corte - guitar
Rafael Barata - drums

recorded live at Festival Grenzenlos, Kultur- und Tagungszentrum Murnau, October 25, 2009

1. "Chega de Saudade" (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes)
2. "They can’t take that away from me" (George & Ira Gershwin)
3. "Por causa de vocè" (Antonio Carlos Jobim)
4. "So danco samba" (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes)
5. "Tangerine" (Victor Schertzinger/Johnny Mercer)
6. Introductions by Eliane Elias
7. "The girl from Ipanema" (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius de Moraes)
8. "Fotografia" (Antonio Carlos Jobim)

In celebration of the silver anniversary Bossa Nova, Brazil-born, New York-based vocalist/pianist Eliane Elias lovingly pays tribute to the music of her homeland with "Bossa Nova Stories", a sublime 14-tune collection that captures the cool and alluring spirit of bossa nova, released on Blue Not records. Eliane’s singing, integrated with her piano, makes her a unique interpreter of melody and song. On Bossa Nova Stories, her vocal delivery is a marvel of rhythmic freedom, swinging beautifully and wonderfully integrated with the syncopations of her piano, or in counterpoint to the rhythm of the guitar. This is a true musician singing. Her voice, vocal phrasing, feel and interpretation place her at the top of this genre.

Lars Danielsson & Leszek Mozdzer: “Pasodoble“ live at Kronberg Academy Cello Festival 2009

Lars Danielsson, bass, cello
Leszek Mozdzer, piano

recorded live at Stadthalle Kronberg im Taunus, October 2, 2009

1. Praying (Danielsson)
2. Fellow (Danielsson)
3. Pasodoble (Danielsson)
4. Eja Mitt Hjärta (Swedish traditional)
5. Incognito (Mozdzer)
6. Easy Money (Mozdzer)
7. Prado (Danielsson)
8. Suffering (Danielsson)

Lars Danielsson is a musician of astonishing versatility. While he was studying classical cello at Gothenburg Conservatory he was listening mostly to rock: Jimi Hendrix, Cream and Santana. Then he happened to see an Oscar Peterson concert on TV with Danish bassist Nils-Henning Ørsted Pedersen This was the beginning of his conversion, from now on the bass was to take first place in his life. Pasodoble is an exciting duo album, with Leszek Mozdzer, an artist who is widely regarded as the most successful and versatile pianist of his home country Poland.
The two musicians share a lot of common ground. Their mutual admiration becomes very evident on this, their first duo album. Those who were expecting to hear the occasional standard on the album are in for a surprise. Bass and piano have generated so many ideas that all but one of the tracks – the traditional folksong “Eja Mitt Hjärta”, that Danielsson arranged especially for this album – are original compositions by Lars or Leszek. This proves to be a musical liaison that promises a long and fruitful future.

Barry Guy New Orchestra, special guest Elliott Sharp live at Jazzfest Berlin 2009

Photo © by Muriel Valmont

Barry Guy · bass, director
Evan Parker · reeds
Mats Gustafsson · reeds
Trevor Watts · reeds
Per Texas Johansson · bass clarinet
Herb Robertson · trumpet
Johannes Bauer · trombone
Per Åke Holmlander · tuba
Agusti Fernandez · piano
Paul Lytton · drums
Raymond Strid · drums
Elliott Sharp · guitar, electronics

recorded live at Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Main Stage, November 6, 2009

1. Danaus (Barry Guy) 23:11 Min
2. Radio Rondo (Barry Guy) 30:15 Min

“For the last four decades, British bassist Barry Guy has continually charted a personal path in advanced improvisational settings. His endeavors range from free contexts to arranged ensembles; from solo work to orchestra; from long-term groups to ad hoc meetings; from Baroque music to electro-acoustic experiments. Through it all, his balance of formal structures and dynamic improvisation is always at play. After decades working with the London Jazz Composers Orchestra, the challenges of assembling such a large ensemble on any consistent basis led to thoughts of forming a mid-size group (…)
Guy knows how to make the most of the musicians, massing the entire group, piling skirling reeds over low end brass, or hocketing lines back and forth over cascading piano. Fernández does a noble job filling Crispell’s seat, bringing a more percussive attack while playing down the melodic cells of the music. With a group like this, one expects strong solos all around, and of course no one disappoints.”
(Michael Rosenstein, Signal to Noise)

Having worked in the avant-garde and experimental music scene in New York City since the late 1970s Elliott Sharp has released over eighty-five recordings ranging from blues, jazz, and orchestral music to noise, no wave rock, and techno music. He pioneered the use of a lap top computer in live performance with his Virtual Stance project of the 1980s and more recently has used algorithm and fibonacci numbers in experimental composition.
The Barry Guy New Orchestra has released some CD´s on Intakt, e.g. "Inscape - Tableaux".

Yaron Herman Trio live at Jazzfest Berlin 2009/ live in Salzburg 2009 -UPDATE

Photo © by Jean-Michel Sabatier

Yaron Herman · piano
Stephane Kerecki · bass
Cedric Bec · drums

1. Jerusalem of gold (Naomi Shemer)
2. Prélude Nr. 2 B-Dur. Elevato (Alexander Skrjabin)
3. Layla Layla (Nathan Alterman/Mordechai Zeira)
4. In the wee small hours of the morning (Bob Hilliard/ David A. Mann)
5. Toxic (Cathy Dennis/ Christian Karlsson/ Pontus Winnberg/ Henrik Jonback)
6. Hetikva (trad.)

recorded live at Jewish Museum Berlin, Glashof, November 5, 2009


1. Lomidbar (Alexander Argov)
2. Heart-Shaped Box (Kurt Cobain)

recorded live in Salzburg/Austria, October 29, 2009

Yaron Herman was born on 12th July 1981 in Tel Aviv. He started out on a promising career as a basketball player on the Israeli national junior team but that was cut short by a serious knee injury which quashed his sporting ambitions. He only decided to take up playing the piano, at the age of 16. His teacher was the renowned Opher Brayer, famous for his methods based on philosophy, mathematics and psychology. Yaron was soon giving his first performances in the most prestigious concert halls in Israel.
At the age of 19, Yaron left for Boston, where he intended to attend the Berklee College of Music. He found it didn't satisfy his craving for knowledge and discovery and decided to return to Tel Aviv. On the way back he stopped over in Paris, that evening he met some musicians during a jam session and was given a contract the very next day. He never left Paris from then on. A period of musical exchanges and getting to know people followed and –thanks to his enthusiasm and talent– he soon started to make a name for himself on the Parisian musical scene and beyond.
Yaron Herman's style reflects the influence of jazz musicians and pianists such as Keith Jarrett, Paul Bley, Lennie Tristano and Brad Mehldau, modern pop artists such as Björk, Sting and Olivia, and classical composers such as Alexander Scriabin and Maurice Ravel.
The trio´s latest release is called "Muse".

Wolfgang Schmid Kick live at Bavarian Broadcast 2010

photo by Sabine Grudda

Steffen Dix (Tenor & Soprano Saxophones)
Heiko Giering (Baritone Saxophone)
Peter Wölpl (Guitar)
Benedikt Moser (Fender Rhodes)
Luis Baltes (Rap, Human Beatbox)
Wolfgang Schmid (Bass)
Oli Rubow (Drums)

recorded live at Studio II, Bavarian Broadcast, Munich, January 27, 2010

Moderation und Auswahl: Beate Sampson
1. "Five o'clock a.m." (Wolfgang Schmid)
2. "Luis' Riff" (Wolfgang Schmid/Luis Baltes)
3. "Five for seven" (Wolfgang Schmid)
4. "A glimpse at the Blues" (Wolfgang Schmid)
5. "Soweto" (Abdullah Ibrahim)

Bassist Wolfgang Schmid, known from Klaus Doldinger´s Passport, is leading his band Kick for more than 25 years, their latest album is "Let the groove begin…", released 2007 on Skip.

Depart live at Northern German Broadcast/ Hamburg 2009

Photo © by: Francesca Pfeffer

Harry Sokal (sax)
Heiri Känzig (b)
Jojo Mayer (dr)

recorded live at Rolf-Liebermann-Studio, Hamburg, December 17 & 18, 2009

1. Mountain Messenger (Heiri Känzig)
2. Slice Of Bread (Heiri Känzig)
3. Magic Transition (Harry Sokal)
4. Less We Can (Harry Sokal/ Jojo Mayer)
5. Drei im Quadrat (Harry Sokal/ Heiri Känzig)
6. Du liebä Bueb vom Ämmital (Trad./ Arr. Heiri Känzig)

When Reloaded (ACT 9453-2) came out in 2006, it was hailed as “comeback album of the year”. In reality, the trio has more or less gone in a new direction. Part of the reason has been Jojo Mayer, the onetime substitute for Studer who has permanently taken over from his landsman. There had been a recent flowering of the piano trio that either revisits the romanticism of a Bill Evans or runs in the direction of pop. This triumvirate cleared away all the dead brush with their cascading powerhouse style. Almost one and a half year after Reloaded, Depart encapsulates this style with Mountain Messenger. The powerful group dynamic is even more impressive, as indicated by the fact that many of the pieces are cooperatively composed and arranged. Three instruments, three musical destinies, three extremely different sets of experiences meld into a single indissoluble impression. There are no interminable solos over the usual patterns here – the three are continually interacting, feeding each other new lines.

Roberto Fonseca Group live at "Die Glocke", Bremen 2009

Roberto Fonseca: Piano
Javier Zalba: Clarinet, Flute, Saxophones
Joel Hierrezuelo: Percussion
Ramsés Rodríguez: Drums
Omar González: Bass

recorded live at Die Glocke, Bremen, November 10, 2009

1. Consumatum est
2. Siete potencias
3. La flor que no cuide
4. Lento y despacio
5. Lento y despacio Part II
6. Cuando uno crece
7. Como en las peliculas
8. So que me hace vivir
9. El ritmo de tus hombros
10. Triste alegria
11. Bulgarian

Last October I introduced Roberto Fonseca to you and recommended his great album "Akokan". A great live performer with an overwhelming stage presence, Roberto Fonseca shows a virtuosic, fiery, eclectic, sometimes nearly orchestral approach to the piano. In Ibrahim Ferrer's words: "Boy, can the kid play!" A mixture of Cuban soul and jazz history, Fonseca's piano artistry includes unbelievable high-energy runs on the keyboard, a trace of Monk's angularity and a fine sense for poetic melodies. On his 2007 album "Zamazu" he is assisted by his long-term musical partner Javier Zalba (clarinet, soprano sax, alto sax, flute) and an incredibly flexible Cuban/Brazilian rhythm section.

Archie Shepp Quartet live at 32nd International Jazzweek Burghausen 2001

Archie Shepp, tenor saxophone, vocals
Amina Claudine Myers, piano, vocals
Ronnie Burrage, drums, vocals
Wayne Dockery, bass

recorded live at Wackerhalle, Burghausen, May 4, 2001

1. Hope 2
2. God Bless The Child
3. Mama Rose/ Revolution
4. Ev´ry Day´s A New Day
5. Dedication to Bessie Smith´s Blues
6. You Gotta Call Him

Archie Shepp "populates his musical world with themes and stylistic elements provided by the greatest voices of jazz: from Ellington to Monk and Mingus, from Parker to Siver and Taylor. His technical and emotional capacity enables him to integrate the varied elements inherited by the Masters of Tenor from Webster to Coltrane into his own playing but according to his very own combination: the wild raspiness of his attacks, his massive sound sculpted by a vibrato mastered in all ranges, his phrases carried to breathlessness, his abrupt level changes, the intensity of his tempos but also the velvety tenderness woven into a ballad. His play consistently deepens the spirit of the two faces of the original black American music: blues and spirituals. His work with classics and with his own compositions (Bessie Smith’s Black Water Blues or Mama Rose) contributes to maintaining alive the power of strangeness of these two musics in relationship to European music and expresses itself in a unique mix of wounded violence and age-old nostalgia. (…) With his freedom loving sensitivity Archie Shepp has made an inestimable contribution to the gathering, the publicizing and the inventing of jazz."
His latest album called "Phat Jam in Milano" was released in 2009 on Dawn of Freedom.

OddJob - "New Sounds From Sweden" live at JazzBaltica 2009

Goran Kajfeš - Trumpet
Per "Ruskträsk" Johansson - Alto & Baritone Saxophone
Daniel Karlsson - Piano, Fender Rhodes, Organ
Peter Forss - Bass
Janne Robertson - Drums

recorded live at Große Konzertscheune, Salzau, July 5, 2009

1. Luma
2. Sewerside Blues
3. Lim
4. The Big Hit
5. Dariaa
6. Kings Are Marching Out
7. Småland
8. Must

The Oddjob Quintet is a prime example of why Scandinavian musicians play such a prominent role in the latest happenings in jazz. It’s not just about technique and virtuosity; rather its unconditional concentration on a unique sound and the impact of melody. In Scandinavia, ear training is more important than it is elsewhere. At the same time Scandinavian musicians consequently have an unrivalled openness for styles and genres. No wonder, then, that Oddjob also became involved in the recent resurgence of the jazz-rock of the 70’s; yet Oddjob’s approach sounds different.
The project came about accidentally. Shortly after the beginning of this new millennium four of Sweden’s most accomplished studio musicians and jazz exponents found themselves together as a tour band for resident soul star Eric Gadd.
They soon began tossing around the possibility of working together on a project. “We just talked about it; never played anything out,” explains Per Johansson. That was soon to change; pianist Daniel Karlsson joined the group, and Oddjob was born.
Their next album called "Clint", a homage to Clint Eastwood will be released on February 26, 2010 on ACT.

Gil Evans and the Berlin Dream Band live at Berliner Jazztage 1971

Milo Pavlovic, Carmell Jones, Manfred Stoppacher (tp)
Ake Persson, Barry Ross, Charles Orieux (tb)
Leo Wright, Heinz Hermann, Adie Feuerstein, Klaus Marmulla (reeds)
Günther Passin, Eberhard Kramer, Rolf-Julius Koch, Jörn Maatz, Peter Schmidt, Werner Kienbaum (woodwinds)
Andreas Hartogs, Siegfried Krüger, Heinrich Roggenkamp (frh)
Gil Evans (p), Hajo Lange (b)
Dai Bowen, Heinz Niemayer (dr)
Guest soloists: Karl Berger (vib), Steve Lacy (ss)

recorded live at Berliner Jazztage, Philharmonie, November 06, 1971,

1. Zee Zee
2. Waltz
3. Bilbao Song (Weill/ Brecht)
4. The Barbara Song (Weill/ Brecht)

Legendary arranger and composer Gil Evans was honored at the 1971 Berliner Jazztage (today known as Jazzfest Berlin) as a kind of "artist in residence" by leading the "Berlin Dream Band" consisted of Berlin´s finest musicians. They played a set with Evans originals and some Kurt Weill songs. Earlier that year he had released the album "Where Flamingos Fly" on ARTISTS HOUSE.

Jan Lundgren Trio live at Hamburg Jazztage 2009

Jan Lundgren, p
Mattias Svensson, b
Zoltan Csörsz, dr

recorded live at Fabrik, Hamburg, October 2, 2009

1. The Windmills Of Your Mind (Michel Legrand)
2. Rosemary's Baby (Kzysztof Komeda)
3. Wien, Du Stadt meiner Träume (R. Sieczynski)
4. Yo vivo enamorado (Antonio Humanes/ Juan Monje)
5. Man in the fog (Jan Lundgren)
6. Il Postino (L.E.Bacalov)
7. Computerliebe (Frank Hieber/ Sonja Mangold/Ralf Hutter / Emil Schult / Karl Bartos)

In 1997 Lundgren came out with his CD Swedish Standards, an incredibly atmospheric and tasteful reworking of the rich Swedish folklore tradition. European Standards (released on ACT) represents the logical next step, a trip through ten European countries, from the German-speaking to the Romanic language countries on through to the Slavic lands. Each one is represented by a “typical” song from that country’s tradition, some very popular, others virtually unknown. Now they are no longer typical just in terms of folk music, but also almost in the sense of a historical mindset.

Blake Tartare live in Karlsruhe 2009

Michael Blake - Tenor and Soprano Saxophone, Bass Clarinet
Søren Kjaeregaard - Piano, Wurlitzer E-Piano
Jonas Westergaard - Bass
Frands Rifbjerg - Drums

recorded live at Jazzclub Karlsruhe, October 26, 2009

1. Farrah Fawcett (Blake)
2. Drowning (Blake)
3. Wigwise (Ellington)
4. Freestyle (Blake)
5. Tchicai (Kjaeregaaard)
6. Two On One (Blake)

Founded in 2001, Blake Tartare began playing around Copenhagen's historic Christiana enclave and in cafes around town. In 2002 they struck out on their first tour in Italy and Denmark. In 2001/2002 Kresten, Soren and Jonas received grants from the Danish Jazz Federation to live and study in New York City. Within a few months the guys were settled in and began playing together on a regular basis. Their recordings and live performances consist primarily of Blake’s music but they also at ease covering the works of Roland Kirk, Sun Ra and Charles Mingus. This concert here captures the bands strengths: leaning towards contemporary forms that meet up with free-jazz improvisation. They are world class improvisers and it's interesting to watch them develop", Blake proclaims of his Danish mates. "We’ve been playing out a lot and the response has been very positive, even ecstatic." Soren Friis of Stunt Records sought to release the groups first self-produced CD for the public.